Riff Tone

Heart of Gold

Neil Young

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarMartin D-28 (acoustic, primary for riff section on studio recording)

AmpNone (acoustic guitar recorded with microphone in studio)

PickupsNone (mic'd acoustic guitar, no onboard pickup on original recording)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass3

mid3

treble3.5

reverb2

presence2.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1971. The riff section of 'Heart of Gold' is played on a Martin D-28 acoustic guitar, mic'd in the studio. No electric guitar or amp is used for the main riff. Neil Young is seen using this guitar in live performances and is confirmed by multiple sources as the studio instrument for this song's riff. No pedals or amp effects are used on the original studio riff.

Tone Character(10)

bright and percussivewarm midrangeclear and articulatenatural wood resonancedynamic and touch-sensitiveorganic and unprocessedslight studio room ambienceno electric colorationclassic singer-songwriter acoustic soundfull-bodied dreadnought projection

Difficulty

The riff is accessible to most players with basic open chord knowledge, but requires consistent strumming, good timing, and dynamic control to capture the feel of the original.

Sources

Neil Young's guitar rig: from Old Black to his Fender Deluxe | Guitar World Neil Young's Studio Equipment | Equipboard Heart Of Gold by Neil Young (Easy Acoustic Guitar ... - YouTube

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